JackFic SG1 Drabble series
by Roo1965
Summary: 31 drabbles  ie 100 word fics  written October 2003 to January 2007 for Jackfic Yahoo group inspired by the word of the week.
1. Twilight

Spoilers: Meridian Season: 6

Summary: Jack contemplating life the universe and everything. Written 13 Oct 2003

* * *

**Twilight**

Waiting

In the not day, not night for a star to appear.

Needing

To see it in the sky, my anchor in this world

Wishing

We could get drunk -talk about college, girlfriends- but it was not to be- Charlie

Grieving

Lost another good man today. Don't know what to feel, think, or say. Pain, pride and anger so bad

Nothing

Feel numb. Civilian doing good, saving lives, being himself.

Hoping

Not dead. A chatty, glowy being - our Daniel- you'd like him. Play nice kids.

Finding

A star for the space monkey

Watching

Your six, taking point, waiting.


	2. Paper 1: Paper people

Pairings: Jack/Sara Season: movie/COTG

Summary: who knew paperwork could be so many different things.

* * *

**Paper people**

Her eyes passed over the drawing stuck to the fridge.

Couldn't bear to remove it, Charlie's name along the bottom.

Clutching coffee she stared into the darkness and the departing car from General West's office.

Jack wasn't coming back. Who would come with his 'last' letter when he was gone now Frank was out of his life?

Heart and soul fractured by one loss, cracked at the thought of another.

Alone.

But she had her own set of papers waiting for him.

Can't live with another ghost in the house.

No contest. One bang in the universe too many.

O'Neill v O'Neill.

Decree absolute.


	3. Paper 2: paper trails

Spoilers: tiny for Politics Season: One

2nd drabble for paper people

Summary: more paperwork…trails and traces….

* * *

Paper trails 

The military machine leaves visible and invisible paper trails.

Follow the paper….

Moving people, equipment, hardware and buildings across state/county lines, across continents, into space, across worlds.

Orders to start basic training; to retrieve; to not retrieve; promotion; demotion.

'Dearest Sarah thanks for the latest photo of Charlie…'

'Mrs O'Neill -we regret to advise that Major JJ O'Neill presumed MIA...'

'Major JJ O'Neill has been med-evac'd to….'

Time passes

A gunshot

Resignation, reactivation.

Stargate.

Bean counters.

'Keeping the lights on costs a billion dollars?'

Notice board -Order for the day

'Ideas for bake/garage sale - anything' to Col. J.O'Neill ASAP


	4. Death1 :Whatever gets you thru the night

Content warnings: dark and squishy

Summary: word of the week-Death -14 January 2004. Jack in Iraq pre series

* * *

**'Whatever gets you thru the night'**

Wrapped in the dark, he sensed eyes watching him, long before he heard movement.

A waiting game then- to strike first, feint and torture.

Though ankle shackled, time made him as expert as the enemy in this dark, damp and dusty no life.

Hunter and prey stalked and lunged. Triumphant, next time he might not be so lucky.

He could give his name and number.

Nothing else.

He refused to give in.

There was still some fun to be had.

'A little death to pass the time away' Jack thought as he pushed the dead rat through the prison peephole.


	5. Death 2: Tomorrow is another day

Sequel/series info: follows straight on from "whatever gets you thru the night" drabble

Content warnings: CAPITAL LETTERS and huge apologies to Terry Pratchett

Summary: a discussion outside Jack's cell door c 1991

Author's notes: This was the kind of thing I meant to do in 'whatever' but couldn't get to work, but doing that one made this one. Confused? This drabble will make more sense to people who have read any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.

* * *

** "Tomorrow is another day"**

"I'M NOT HERE FOR HIM" said Death

"squeak, squeak!"

"YES, HE'LL PAY FOR THAT" confirmed Death as the guards swore at the mess, and opened another cell.

"squeak?"

"HE AND I WILL STARE ACROSS THE ABYSS FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT NOT TODAY" said Death returning the hourglass to his pocket.

"squeak, squeak?"

"HE HAS TO DIE A LITTLE TO LIVE A LITTLE. BUT THEY ARE ALL MINE IN THE END"

"ALMOST TIME"

Death and Death of Rats followed the guards and prisoner, their scythes glinting in the moonlight.

"I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I COULD MURDER A CURRY"


	6. Bubble:we have all the time in the world

drabble for Bubble 20/1/04

Spoilers: Unnatural Selection Season: 6 Jack's POV

* * *

**"We have all the time in the world"**

Thor buddy!  
You need OUR help?

Replicator space… fix the what device?  
Crap.

Did I ever tell you that I *really* hate those bugs?

People?

This is a nasty surprise.

Hand in the head- twice.

New trick.

Old story.

It hurts.

Get OUT of my head!

NEVER do that again.  
Three not five minutes, Carter

The old baseball hand signal switcheroo. Never fails.  
So outta here.  
Silent, dark looks on the bridge.  
What?

Don't look at me like I've just run over your puppy.  
Not human.

Us or them.

Simple.

My decision not yours.  
Trapped in a bubble of time.


	7. Shadow: Only the shadow knows

Content warnings: dark internal POV. Feb 2004

Summary: somewhere, sometime in the 1980's Jack plays I Spy….

* * *

**Only the Shadow knows …**

I am shadow, merged with the dark.

Waiting, patient, armed in the night.

I know where you live-where your weaknesses are.

You are solid, and real.

I am but a ghost.

To your coterie you are somebody. I am nobody.

Motionless, I track movement in my sniper sight.

A cough in the dark velvet night.

I move- you remain. Dead to the world.

I win you lose.

You did not see me. I was not here.

"Only the Shadow knows what evil lurks in the heart of men"

Am I substance or shadow?

I do not know.

Time will tell.


	8. Obsession: Perpetual motion

12th May : Jack/Sara Season: movie, COTG onwards

Content warnings: darkly determined…Summary: What does Colonel O'Neill really care about, why does he keep going?

* * *

**Perpetual motion**

Flying – the ultimate high.

Teamwork, solo work, competition was all you thought about.

Then, other passions -girlfriend, wife.

A son, neither of you could get enough of.

Struggle between work and family or fall through the cracks. You work hard every minute of the day.

You keep on going after ''training accidents' and a trip to hell.

Inattention means a gunshot at home.

A memory etched in blood.

Wrapped in a vacuum, silently screaming inside, your wife cannot break through.

Duty calls, you answer.

Build a new 'family' at work.

Defend the planet against snakes.

Nothing will stop you now.


	9. Headache: Making it work

Drabble for Headache wb 14 May 2004 Spoilers: movie, COTG Season: One

Summary: Jack assesses the situation after they come back from Chulak….

Author's notes: thinking about what it must have been like going back to Abydos and then all the events on Chulak, explaining it all to Hammond…

* * *

"**Making it work"**

**We made it back, my fledgling team and me. **

**Plenty of unknowns - the planets, the aliens… my team.**

**A Captain assigned to me, a scientist for crying out loud! But she's Air Force. She'll be fine. **

**An archaeologist, happily married; now searching for his wife. I had to argue hard for him. 'General, we need him and he needs us'.**

**An enemy, an alien- changed by what he saw in us, in me. He wanted to be free. I saw the way of the warrior.**

"**Colonel, I'd like a word."**

**Sure George, but they're my headache, my team. Mine.**


	10. Knackered1: Running on empty

2nd Drabble for Knackered 3rd September 2004.

Spoilers: Window of Opportunity Seaseon 4

Summary: you can only go for so long without actual sleep.

Author's notes: still inspired by WOTW drabble. Written 4th September 2004.

* * *

Running on empty by Roo

Ordered to rest. Can't sleep. Exhausted.

Brain on overdrive, all those possibilities.

Stop it O'Neill.

Need sleep. Can't sleep.

Been on duty for days, months.

Could I though? Relive one day?

Which one?

Wedding

"We're pregnant!"

"It's a boy!" everyone happy.

Charlie and me- Sara's guys. Always together.

Not anymore.

I know how Malikai feels. The machine never worked.

Can't relive this again.

Learning Latin won't get me out of this mind loop.

Relax.

Count sheep.

Kill Goa'uld.

Tomorrow is another day, isn't it?

Worn out.

Over tired.

Knackered.

Can't sleep.

Happy thoughts- juggling, pottery, golf, 'that' kiss….

Overtime? Hmmm…..


	11. Knackered 2: Terminology

Drabble for knackered (UK)

Summary: A younger Jack learns a new word while on a training course.

Author's notes: thought that it would be fun to explore the different meanings of this week's word. I didn't know it meant inebriated in the USA. Strange. Written 5th September 2004

* * *

Terminology by Roo

"I'm bloody knackered!" said Steve, my tent mate, a Brit SAS officer on an exchange scheme.

How could he be drunk? We've been practising defusing and laying minefields all week, with excursions into claymores and C4. In darkness, in daylight, under fire, time trials. Solo and team competitions up the ante. Nothing like rivalry to get people going.

Belly crawling, knee rubbing, back breaking stuff.

But fun.

"'Scuse me?" I say.

"Exhausted, can't move another muscle. Bone weary."

"Oh. Here it means drunk, inebriated." I reply.

"How, when!" he laughs.

"Exactly. Interesting variation though."

"Prefer our version." he says finally.


	12. Knackered 3: Soldiering on

3rd Drabble for Knackered (UK meaning) 3rd September 2004.

Spoilers: Solitudes Season: One

Summary: cool episode from Jack's POV.

* * *

Soldiering On by Roo

Stranded. Frozen. Dying.

Broken deep inside. Hiding the pain until blood spatters the ice.

Carter angry, desperate to fix the DHD.

Save yourself. Go. I order.

Cold

Dark.

Days later I wake up.

Apparently not dead. We're on Earth. Daniel saved our frozen butts.

Machines monitor vitals. A reassuring hand on my arm as I drift off.

Leg and chest drain hurts. A bruise the size of Texas on my face.

Tell me! Explain Teal'c's broken arm and Daniel's stitches.

Feel like crap.

Carter looks like crap.

Tired. Broken, bust and bruised.

Absolutely knackered though.

Warm.

Home

Sleep.

Rest.

Heal.

Alive!


	13. Independence: Independent

Category: Drabble for Independence (wb 1 July 2005)

Content warnings: fluffy… Summary: cute as a button…

* * *

Independent by Roo

It looked so far away.

Impossible.

But he *_had*_ to.

Get there.

Excited and scared at the same time.

If he could do this, he'd be free, no more crawling on the floor.

Summoning up O'Neill grit and determination, legs wobbling, heart lurching, fixed grin on his face, he lurched into open space at last.

Made it.

Free.

In safe hands. A warm embrace.

Sara beamed with pride as Charlie sturdily toddled across the floor straight into Jack's open arms.

No stopping him now, on his feet, ready to fly...

Time to move all breakables above 4ft

Independence at last.


	14. Sponge 1: Keeping count

Double Drabble for Sponge w/b 16 Sept 2005 (200 words)

Summary: another busy day in the OR for Dr Fraiser

* * *

**"Keeping count"**

"That's it, close him up!"

"Yes ma'am!"

The anaesthetist gave her an 'okay' on his stable vitals. Reassuring steady beeps, not the up and down fight he'd given them earlier.

'How many more times do I have to keep patching you up, Jack?'

Bullets, arrows, wood and rock splinters- you name it - she'd removed it from SG teams.

" Ma'am?"

"Yes?"

It was the nurse counting up all the surgical swabs or sponges that had been used during the operation.

"I count 29 here, but 30 on the out tray."

Oh shit.

No! She couldn't have left one in him. Last thing she wanted to do was open him up again. But if she had to…she had to.

You count 'em all out and you count 'em all in.

Damn.

She'd just finished stitching the drain and packed it real well. Her back ached and her feet hurt. She lifted them up one at a time to ease the throbbing.

"Count again!" She dropped her last instrument into the bowl on the tray.

"Yes ma'am."

Dr Janet Fraiser waited.

"Doctor? You're standing on one- that makes 30. We're clear now."

Thank God for that.

"Get him to recovery, stat!"


	15. Sponge 2: Keeping cool

Category: 2nd drabble for sponge

Sequel: to "**Keeping count** "drabble

Summary: Janet's still on duty, keeping an eye on the aftermath….

* * *

**"Keeping cool"**

Hot….

Godamnit it's hot…

Where?

Gotta get away. Now!

No! Don't! Let me go! I gotta…

Can't remember…..

Hot….

Don't!

That hurts….

"Colonel O'Neill? Can you hear me?"

'Obviously not' sighed Janet.

Jack's slashed belly wound was not responding to the new antibiotics yet.

Feverish and in pain, he was not a happy camper. He would pick up by morning. He just didn't know it yet.

Janet inspected the wound again, making Jack fling an arm out in response.

"Shhh, easy now Colonel. It's going to be alright," she soothed, wiping the sweaty body with the cool wet sponge.


	16. Sponge 3Vomit : Keeping it down

3rd drabble for sponge/1st for Vomit

Sequel: to Keeping cool

Content warnings: Humour, H/C

Summary: Laughter is good therapy…but not while trying to eat…..

Author's notes: should this be a drabble for sponit or vomge? Altogether now…spam,spam,spam….spaaaam wonderful spam… .

* * *

"**Keeping it down**"

Jack O'Neill woke up as food arrived.

"What's that?" he yawned still feeling disorientated.

"Desert."

"Got yellow sauce on it."

"Custard."

"Huh? And jello, Daniel?" queried Jack, eating some.

"It's British Food Week in the Commissary." shrugged Daniel.

Inexplicably Monty Python's "Spam Song" ran through Jack's mind, he laughed.

Then choked on the sponge desert.

Between the struggle for breath, medications and vicious pain pulling at his stitches, nausea ensued.

Daniel grabbed a basin and rang for a nurse.

"Sorry, had this really weird thought…"

"Spam song?"

"Yeah…."

"Haggis tomorrow apparently." said Daniel innocently.

"Can't wait…so…kilts ya think?"

Daniel smiled.


	17. Chaos 1:Trust me everything's under cont

Drabble 1 for Chaos Pairings: Jack/Sara Season: Pre series

Content warnings: none. Light n fluffy…

Summary: How hard could it be? Sara managed….

* * *

**Trust me, everything's under control…**

She tried to look stern at the chaos she found in her kitchen. She bit her lip but the smile broke through.

"More washing after this morning's load?"

"I can explain…"

"You need to change again flyboy…"

"Really?"

"I see you have everything under perfect control…"

"oh yessureyoubetcha," he grinned and then made faces at Charlie squealing with glee in his high chair.

Jack had baby food in his hair, face and shirt. Not to mention the floor and walls.

"We're having lunch…want some?" he deadpanned.

Sara laughed.

Mess could be cleaned up. The men were bonding over banana desert.


	18. Chaos2 : chaos in Need

Drabble 2 for Chaos Spoilers: Need Season: 2

Summary: save princess, thrown in mine, Daniel loopy- the usual off world meet and greet….

* * *

**Chaos in need**

What the heck is going on?

Saving the Princess in the woods turned out to be bad news.

She was Untouchable.

Enslaved, chained, worked, starved.

Escaped…almost.

Daniel! Please don't be dead.

Chained, worked, starved. Exhausted.

Confused but elated- Daniel's okay, he's with the in crowd.

Daniel! Get us out of this chaos!

Quit stalling.

Something weird going on with you.

I'm begging on my knees. You can't see what they're doing to you, what you're doing to us.

Home.

Exhausted.

Angry.

Daniel in chaos, not himself.

Addicted.

I know… we'll get through this buddy.

Just hang on to me.


	19. Chaos 3 : saving the planet

3rd Drabble for Chaos November 2005

Spoilers: Politics, Within the serpents grasp Season: 1, and 2

Summary: Sometimes attack is the best form of defence…

* * *

**Saving the planet**

Senator Kinsey- that no good excuse for a human being!

And Samuels- that little sneak fink!

How dare they try and shut us down over a measly $7.4 million.

Their idea of organised chaos. Paperwork everywhere, people nosing around.

We've done good, seen a lot of evil along the way.

He doesn't get that there really are Barbarians at the Gate.

Only one way to prove it, but it'll cause chaos for Hammond.

I can't order Carter.

I gave her an out.

But she wants in, with the rest of us.

SG1 saving Earth from the nasty glowing bad guys


	20. Chaos 4: hung,drawn & quartered

Category: 4th Drabble for chaos. Spoilers: Chain Reaction Season: 4

Summary: This is not the best use of my team or my CO so I'm gonna make it right.

* * *

**Hung, drawn and quartered.**

I don't believe it. Hammond resigning like that? Hung out to dry?

SG1 split up.

Divided.

Confusion reigns. Off -balance. Chaotic.

My team re-assigned without telling me first.

The hell with bullet pointed reports for Bauer unless he wants real bullets!

Drawn out- I fight for my team but I get suspended.

Quartered.

Bauer doesn't understand what the Naquadah bomb Carter's making will do.

There has to be a better way.

Tell me the truth George. Grandchildren threatened….

'Borrowing' Maybourne for a while- back soon, I promise.

'Waving' not pointing at Kinsey worked.

Data retrieved.

Harry's nerve phoning from paradise!


	21. Strength 1: the weakness in me

Drabble for Strength 24th February 2006.

Season: pre movie and pre series

Sequel/series info: post Iraq "**Blackbeard"**

Summary: waiting for things to get better.

Author's notes: written 4th March 2006, another train fic. A potential snippet from WIP "Caught in the monkey jar: Blackbeard Interludes."

* * *

**"The weakness in me."**

Drowning.

Everything's wrong.

Can't concentrate.

Can't sleep.

Can't eat.

Don't touch me.

I won't touch you…I might tarnish you.

My burden.

Controlled, orders.

'Report here for PT, psych eval, weapon training.'

When do I get a say?

I'm no hero despite what Charlie thinks.

Survival on pure O'Neill stubbornness.

Refused to give in, lie down and die in the sand.

Besides I was doing my job.

Strength spelled O-N-E-I-L-L.

The two l's are important.

Trying to make it through an hour, one day at a time.

Be patient, I'll come out the other side.

Just gonna be a while.

Wait.


	22. Strength2Cake 1: everything but what yo

drabble for Cake and Strength- 24th Feb and 10th March 2006.

Season: pre series, pre movie

Sequel/series info: post Iraq, **"Blackbeard"**

Content Level: Angst.

Summary: the only thing you can do is keep going.

Author's notes: a potential snippet from WIP "Caught in the monkey jar- Blackbeard Interludes". Written 13th March 2006. For GEM- it's a train fic! And Diana- another iraq-aholic…

* * *

**"Everything….but what you want"**

It'll be a piece of cake. Easy.

But Jack was lying to himself.

Old mantra resurfaces.

Cake- mouth watering food.

Stop it Jack.

Water, cool, refreshing, plentiful….

Don't.

You're stronger than this.

Deep breath.

Calm.

Sara and Charlie thoughts…..

You *are* home. You made it.

Piece of cake. Easy.

Knee brace gone, body mostly healed, physio ongoing.

Facts, details about….over there…

I can give them everything they want, except what they want.

Deep breath.

Calm.

No twitching, he'll think you're wacko.

Gathering strength to go through one more door.

Door nameplate 'Dr (Colonel) Stephen Marwood, Psychiatrist'

Piece of cake. Easy.


	23. Cake 2: love is the sweetest thing

Category: Double Drabble for cake. 200 words Pairings: Jack/Sara

Season: pre series Content warnings: sweet fluff

Summary: Jack salvages a potentially damaging scenario of wife with no chocolate….

* * *

**"Love is the sweetest thing…"**

Charlie's babbling and banging had ceased. Jack rushed to the lounge worried. Charlie sat surrounded by remnants of the large Easter egg he'd hidden for Sara.

"Da, da..." his son gurgled round the chocolate, chubby hands reaching for him.

Dodging choclatey hands he washed Charlie.

Sara was due back any moment and he was off on exercise for three days. Cookie owed him a favour…

Gone midnight, and back later than expected due to a storm and engine trouble Jack was very tired, dirty and glad to be home again. Charlie in his cot. Fast asleep. A daddy's gentle kiss goodnight, Jack restrained himself from picking him up to hold til the end of time.

Sara woke up as he put the cake box down. "Happy Easter hon" he said in the dark, knowing she had given up chocolate for Lent. "I'm back, everything's okay, Charlie's asleep and I'm headed for the shower".

A moment of cool as the shower door opened behind him. "Chocolate cake be damned, you're my sweetest thing," she said. The water washed the dirt and sweat off but he could definitely taste the chocolate fudge icing as he kissed her. Suddenly he wasn't tired anymore.


	24. Poison : a poisoned existence

Drabble for poison.

Spoilers: A matter of time Season: 2

angst

Summary: sometimes people turn up like the proverbial bad penny….

* * *

**A poisoned existence**

Time stretched, shocked at seeing Frank here to rescue us, I give him a venomous glare.

Poisoned atmosphere…if looks could kill- bad blood between us.

Do this and get out of here.

Countdown aborted, angle bomb positioned over the wormhole instead.

Which means working with Frank.

He wanted my forgiveness, says he tried to go back.

Heard it before. Painful ugly memories.

Tuned him out.

Couldn't forgive him.

Glass shatters, shreds line, hands grasping, final searing look into my soul…

Now he's dead, and he'll never hear the words.

I'm still sucked into that black hole.

Think I'll sleep in.


	25. Relapse: crystallised kinship

Drabble for relapse- June 06 Spoilers: crystal skull Season: 3

Summary: Jack POV of episode

Author's notes: Just a little something. Is this one too obvious?

* * *

**Crystallised kinship**

Lost Daniel …again. Damn crystal skull.

Weird planet, neutrino thingies bombard us, collapse at SGC.

Rothman clueless.

Daniel's Grandpa's a character — big giant aliens huh?

Daniel's invisible…?

Back to planet weird with Gramps.

My enemy's enemy is my friend?

Jeez, Honkin' big aliens! Gramps not loco after all!

Daniel's back. Thank God. Let's go home.

Crap, Gramps wants to stay, and Daniel's only just found him again…

Gotta go…

Tired, worn out, sitting here watching Daniel overnight for observation…

Feel stretched out, light headed…oh…

Colonel?

Doc?

You're okay, you overdid it a bit, see?

Daniel waves from the other bed.


	26. Birthday 1:wake up call after hard landi

Drabble 1 for Jack's Birthday October 2006 Pairings: Jack/Sara

Season: pre series Content Level: fluffy

Summary: Jack has a good day while recovering from that nasty parachuting incident in the 80's…

Author's notes: Hey I don't always whump the guy! 19th Oct 2006

* * *

**Wake up call after a hard landing**

He woke up slowly, blinking into reality. Time had slipped again. A hand enveloped one of his. It felt nice.

"Hey," Sara murmured.

Jack squinted, were those balloons tied to the end rail?

"Lunch is here," said Sara.

"Any cake?" He felt like crap but she looked great.

"Definitely."

He lifted the lid to reveal baby potatoes, baby carrots and meat and gravy on a plate and a small cupcake with the iced words "Happy birthday dad". A card revealed a black and white scan, a sonogram.

And through the warm glow all he could think was 'it's my birthday?'


	27. Birthday 2: Thawing Mr Frosty

Category: Drabble 2 for Jack's birthday Oct 06

Spoilers: Solitudes Season: 1

Summary: Another year, another birthday, another 'splat' incident…..

* * *

**Thawing Mr Frosty**

Jack shifted in bed. Ribs twanged, and his broken right leg shot a bolt of fire straight up his body to meet with the bruise the size of Texas covering most of the right side of his face.

He was tired. He hurt alot.

Daniel was just trying to be helpful, but he wasn't to know about the birthday cards in the mail he'd brought in. The actual day had come and gone while they were in McMurdo. Being in a coma prevented him from mentioning it.

Sara's card still held a touch of her perfume as he opened it.


	28. birthday3 :Just another day

Drabble 3 for Jack's birthday Oct 06

Spoilers: Cold Lazarus Season: 1

Content Level: angsty Summary: seeing Charlie is hard

* * *

**Just another day**

Just another day at work. Yeah, right. That's why you're hiding in the supply closet in the dark.

What should he say? He owed Sara an explanation, which she wasn't going to like. He would have to lie and she'd know. She always did.

Why him? Why did 'it' have to turn into Charlie? Holding his hand, like it was his birthday or something.

Charlie always made his own cards to give. It made them extra special. Jack's birthday cards were in a box in the loft somewhere. Maybe in time he'd have the courage to look at them again.


	29. Birthday 4: keeping busy

Category: Double Drabble 4 for Jack's birthday oct 06

Spoilers: Maternal instinct Season: 3

Content warnings: angsty fluff

Summary: who is distracting who?

* * *

**Keeping busy**

Jack knew what day it was despite all of the hoo-ha with the Reetou and the Tok'Ra. He hated the idea of "Charlie" becoming a host, but he'd be alive. Maybe Jack could visit.

The Stargate threw vicious curve balls at him. His paternal instinct kicked in when "Charlie" wanted to live with him. The feel of a child in his arms. Jack's despair at his collapse and the Doc's prognosis. Been there done that with his own son.

He sighed and carried on working in his office. Shift rotas, training schedules, budget reviews- he wallowed in them all, gladly hiding in the mire. He inventoried the armoury - can never have too much C4- was his motto. Going to need more TER's too.

"Off world activation!"

'Dammit what's gone wrong now?' he wondered as he ran to the Gate room.

He was greeted with "Happy Birthday Colonel" and there were balloons, a banner, drink and cake…..and everybody he worked with. He blinked. Was he having a 'senior' moment or was that really Thor over there? He felt a tug on his arm and saw Lya, his favourite Nox representative. She smiled and he finally relaxed in her soothing presence.


	30. Bed 1:Bedtime stories

Summary: musings.

Author's notes: written 7 jan 07

* * *

**Bedtime stories.**

One inanimate object, many scenarios.

Go to bed- bedtime for kids, a punishment, a doctor's order.

Come to bed- a question, a desire.

A place to sleep, to dream, to fight demons in the dark and to find love.

A place for the body and brain to repair itself for tomorrows tiring business of existing.

A place where you can be sleep deprived and start to go slightly insane.

A place where you can feel so crap that all you do is sleep.

A place of restlessness, despair and sorrow.

A place of warmth and joy and sunny mornings.

Bed.


	31. Bed 2: Nightmares

Spoilers: Abyss Season: 6Summary: Jack's still trying to 'deal' with what Ba'al did to him but is thrown a slight googly (or a curve ball- depends on your sport…)

Author's notes: written 7 jan 07. Okay I nicked a plot device off Babylon 5, poor Garibaldi…

* * *

**Bedtime nightmares**

Jack had died too many times. It was quiet and the cell door was in the open position. He got out and went up the corridor. There were no Jaffa. He picked up an abandoned weapon and found Ba'al. He raised the weapon at the Goa'uld. "Die!" But his fingers wouldn't fire it.

"What did you do to me you bastard?"

Ba'al laughed cruelly.

"You can't kill me. I put a block in your brain."

Dr Fraiser found the Colonel out of bed again- huddled on the floor in the corner. Raging and sobbing, beating the floor with his fists.


End file.
